Busy Writing

I've been spending all of my spare time writing. That's good right? I got blocked a while back on my WIP One Wish. Try as I might, nothing and I mean nothing would come to mind. Then just like that, I'm in the car with the girls and it hits me. So you don't have anything to say in One Wish, that doesn't mean you need to stop writing. I got home that night and picked up the laptop and began a new story.

That was Thursday, April 2nd. By Sunday the 4th I had written 12,000+ words. I was on fire. Now it's Tuesday April 21 and as of last night I'm at 21,000+ words. That's an average of a little over 1100 per day. I am ecstatic. Best thing is, It's still flowing. I think this is it. This is the story. Wish me luck though, since I'm not even half way there.

I'm going to change out the word counter for One Wish, and put one in for "Streaming Through The Rift" which is the title of my WIP. It's a Young Adult Fantasy Adventure. Takes places on several different worlds. Hmmm, you say.

I'm going to be needing some feedback, hopefully I can find a couple more readers. I need to get back on Critique Circle too and submit there. My problem is I want the help, but don't want to crit others. Selfish I know. I think I have to change that about myself.

Big news - I mailed off my submission today for the First Pages Panel at SCBWI Western Washington. Hopefully I will be one of the lucky ones picked for the Agent/Editor to read.

Soo excited to be going to my first Writers Conference. Counting down the days!

Are you writing? How is that going for you?

Thanks for stopping by,

Cass

Wow - 17 days and nothing from me here. Will you allow the excuse "I've been busy?" I have. Really busy.

I can't get my story out of my head. Not the right thing to say exactly. I get it out while typing, but then go to work (I wish writing was my job), or go out for date night with the LH and find myself always always going back to the story. I come up with a new spin on it, or something I want to add. Luckily my iTouch (Christmas present) has a notepad app and I find myself making notes there all the time. This is good right?

One of the things I have found myself doing is not so good though. I have a stand alone computer in one room, then I have a personal laptop, and then I have my work computer (which of course I only use at lunch ;-]. I have found myself transferring files from one to another with a flash drive but have discovered I don't always transfer the changes I make back. Actually thought I was going bonkers and had imagined a nice writing burst until I double checked each one and found what I was looking for. New rule - write on one computer only. I used this weekend to consolidate the files onto one computer and then cull through them and get rid of duplicate pages. Yep, combining three computers did leave me with a whole bunch of duplicates. Don't worry I didn't delete the dups (just in case there was some hidden treasure) I named a folder "Possible Duplicates" and put everything there.

I also joined Critique Circle http://www.critiquecircle.com/ and critiqued two stories there. (These were my first crits I have given on any ones writing. I hope they found my input helpful) I submitted the first half of the first chapter of my WIP One Wish and it comes up for review tomorrow Wednesday February 18 2009. I am so very excited.

Authoress of Miss Snarks First Victim runs a monthly Secret Agent contest titled "Are You Hooked?". She has gotten Agents to agree to crit submissions and give feedback. This is above and beyond what Agents tend to do unless it is work they love and are looking to represent. The contest is held towards the first of the month, so I was also was trying to rush and compelte my WIP because I wanted to be able to enter. Only writers with a complete MS ready for submission is allowed. There is a chance the Agent is interested in your work and wants to read more. I wonder how many people decide to ignore the Rule and enter anyway. How sad would that be if an Agent shows interest and then you don't have enough to show them. I think it would make me cry.

Okay, rushing didn't work for me. Needless to say I could not enter. I recognized the Secret Agents remark(s) "I'm on notice" in particular. Turned out to me none other than Kristin Nelson of Pub Rants (another agent blog I follow). I really wished that she could have held off until I was ready to enter my first page, but no such luck. See she has posted several times over the last 2 months what Publishers are looking for. Middle Grade was big. Middle Grade with a Girl protag big. Middle Grade Fantasy big. I'll just have to query her the old fashioned way when I am ready.

Oh, have I told you what I was writing about? MG Urban Fantasy inspired by a family trip to the ocean last October. Okay enough - I'll tell you more of the story later.

Last but not least I signed up for a writers conference. SCBWI Western Washington 5/16/09.
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators - Western Washington. How cool is that. A conference for Children's Book Writers right here practically in my own back yard. And guess who will be there holding a session or two there. Nathan Bransford. (Yep, another agent blog I follow). Of course there are many more talented Agents - Editors - Publishers - Authors - Illustrators that will be there. I will pull my registration papers and write more about it tomorrow.

Yes tomorrow. I want to post some of the crits I receive (or hope to receive on my story)

Okay so in the last 17 days I have consolidated all my writing onto one computer; joined a critique group and submitted my first writing, signed up for a writers conference. What have you done?

Thanks for stopping by.

Cassidy

Time Traveling Alien Vampire

Sound's kind of like a character in a story maybe? Actually it is what my loving hubby had inscribed on the back of my Christmas present, an iPod Touch. Apple allows for free personalization and he took advantage of the opportunity. Story goes he tried to have something "off color" inscribed on the back, but the system wouldn't allow certain words. Hmm. Can I say "Thanks Apple!" Not sure what he would have put on there.

Time Traveling Alien Vampire - so where does that come from? Well, he knows me well is all I can say. I love stories about all three and if I can ever find one that includes all three, I think I will have hit the jackpot.

Did you all have a nice holiday - which ever holiday you might be celebrating in your family? I hope so. My whole family was able to get together this year with the exception of two. My 91 year old Poppa Harry from Billings Montana who doesn't like to fly anymore, and my baby brother Corbin who is off serving his country in Baghdad. Both were greatly missed. Learned that my little sister Cinnamon and her husband Doug are expecting a new addition this summer. I can't wait to meet my new niece or nephew.

I love the fact that I can use this blog as a way to talk about the sheer joy and despair I have found in my new creative outlet - WRITING. I have always loved telling stories; embellishing tales what have you, but actually writing it down? Well wasn't that a novel idea! (did you get the pun?)

Maybe I will make some friends here, I hope so. I have found this Internet to be a wonderful place with a community for just about every need a person could have. I have a need to network with writer type folk and thankfully have discovered that the Literary World has a huge community and have stumbled across a treasure trove of information from various Literary Agent's Blogs or Agency and Publisher Websites.

Thanks to Justin (earlier post) my computer is up and running again, and I did not lose any of my files. YEAH! Now I can continue with the journey.

Thanks for stopping by!